Photos

The Mont-Megantic International Dark Sky Reserve has the most beautiful starry sky in southern Quebec and is offering night scenery of great beauty. Here are some examples:

Mont-Megantic Observatory

Moonrise over mont Megantic

The ASTROLab in Mont-Megantic national park

An amateur astronomer looking at the starry sky under the Big Dipper

Early morning mist on mont Megantic

Mont-Megantic Popular Observatory

Northern lights over the village of Val-Racine

The Milky Way as seen from Franceville's peak

Startrails and northern lights in LaPatrie

Stargazing with friends

The photographs below were taken before and after the conversion of light fixtures that took place between 2006 and 2008 which led to the creation of the Mont-Megantic International Dark Sky Reserve. During this conversion campaign, 1462 street luminaires and 1858 privately owned ones were changed. Identical exposures were used for each series.

The village of La Patrie before the conversion of light fixtures

The village of La Patrie after the conversion of light fixtures

The village of La Patrie before the conversion of light fixtures

The village of La Patrie after the conversion of light fixtures

Ditton Mill in La Patrie before the conversion of light fixtures

Ditton Mill in La Patrie after the conversion of light fixtures

Fontaine Mill in Woburn before the conversion of light fixtures

Fontaine Mill in Woburn after the conversion of light fixtures

Sherbrooke's University parking before the conversion of light fixtures

Sherbrooke's University parking after the conversion of light fixtures

Since the initial conversion phase, several hundred more luminaires have been gradually replaced by new PC-amber LEDs. These luminaires emit a very small amount of blue light and can efficiently reduce light pollution. The Mont Megantic region is a world leader in the implementation of this type of lighting.

PC-amber LED bollards and parking lights installed at Mont-Mégantic National Park.

Conversion of Bishop University luminaires to Lennoxville: The 4000K white LEDs have been replaced by PC-amber LEDs while reducing power consumption by 50%.

PC-amber LED lights on the campus of Bishop's University in Lennoxville.

Reconstruction of downtown Lac-Mégantic with new PC-amber LED light fixtures.

Reconstruction of downtown Lac-Mégantic with new PC-amber LED light fixtures.

First installation of PC-amber LED fixtures in Sherbrooke on Lavigerie Boulevard. Following this pilot project, the city continued with the installation of several hundred of these luminaires.

The dark night is in danger of disappearing. This surprising fact takes on full meaning when we look at our planet from space. Satellite images of photos taken by astronauts from International Space Station, urban constellations are today clearly visible.

North and South America at night as recorded by the Suomi-NPP satellite.